Hydraulic clutch



Apr. 3, 1923. 1,450,679

E. s. GRAFENSTATT i HYDRAULIC CLUTCH Filed Septs 5, 1920 2 sheetsjsheetl E. S. GRAFENSTATT HYDRAULIC CLUTCH 2 sheets-Sheet', 2

Filed Sept. 3, 1920 Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

UNlTED STATES 1,450,679 PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL S. GRAFENSTATT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH.

Application filed September 3. 1920. Serial No. 407,834.

Be it known that I. llnll. S. (kArsNs'rArT, a citizen of the lvnitedStates. residing at lios ngeles. in the county of Los Angeles and Stateof (`alifornia. have invented new and useful Improvements in HydraulicClutches. of which the following is a specification.

lt is the object of the presentl invention to provide an hydraulicclutch having means whereby the clutching engagement provided between adriving and a driven member may be accurately controlled by regulatingthe circulation of an hydraulic medium between meshing members looselyjournaled with relation to the driving member and fixed for rotationwith the driven member respeC- tively.

The invention will be readily understood from the following descriptionof the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectionthrough a clutch constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Figure Q.

Figure el is a transverse section on the line 4 1 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail transverse section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

The clutch is arranved to form a driving connection between a rivingmember shown as comprising a fly wheel 1 upon shaft 2 and the drivenmember which includes the shaft end 3 connected by coupling 4 to adriven shaft A casing 6 is bolted to the fly wheel as by the bolts T.said casing being in axial alinement with the fly wheel and carryingaxially spaced ball bearings 8 for the sha-ft end 3. which is also inaxial alinement with driving shaft 2 and the casing 6. End

plates 9 are provided upon casing 6.

A chamber is formed within casing 6 closed at its ends by the end plates9 to form a leak-proof container. rl`his chamber includes an axiallydisposed space l() coinmunicating with passages 11 at opposite sides ofspace 10. The passages 11 communicate at their respective ends by ports12 through which extend longitudinally disposed rods lil received insuitable bores 11 extending through the casing. The outer ends of rods13 are connected by a.

sleeve 15 longitudinally slidable and provided with a groove 16 adaptedto be engaged by any suitableactuating mechanism (not shown) forlongitudinally shifting rods 13 in their bores so as to completely shutoff ports l2 or regulate the size of the openings through the same.

The rods 13 are provided with transverse by-passes 1T in alinement withports 12 when the latter are closed by the rods, and these by-passescommunicate with bores 17a extending from the same to the inner ends ofthe rods. The by-passes are provided with inwardly-'opening check valves17 at opposite sides of bores 1T". By this arrangement when rods 13 aremoved inwardly, one of the check valves in the respective bypasses willbe closed by the preure of a fluid attempting to' circulate throughpassages 11 and ports 12. as will be hereinafter explained. The othercheck valve of the respective by-passes will be opened by the pressureof a fluid trapped beyond the ends of rods 13 in bores 14:. and theescape of said fluid through the by-passes will thus be accomplished.The formation of compression pockets beyond the ends of rods 13 is thusprevented` while still permitting rods 13 to completely shut off' ports12.

A gear 18 is fixed upon shaft end 3 within space 10, said gear fittingwithin said space so as to prevent unobstructed circulation of a fluidwithin passages 11 from one passage to the other around the periphery ofsaid gear. Pinions 1S.) are loosely journaled in the casing within therespective passages 11. said pinions meshing with gear 18 at theopposite sides thereof. These pinions may be carried upon stub shafts 20which are journaled in casing 6 preferably by ball bearings 21. Thepinions 19 lit Within the passages 11 so as to prevent unobstructedcirculation of the fluid within said passages around the periphery ofsaid pinions from one end to the other of said passages.

ln operation the passages 11 having a suitable hydraulic medium receivedtherein, when rods 13 are retracted so as to unobstruct the `openingsthrough ports 1Q. the fly wheel 1 may be rotated without causingrotation of shaft 5. l'nder these conditions the pinions 1f) will freelyrevolve around the periphery of gear 1H without rotating said gear. thehydraulic medium within passages 11 freely moving from one passage tothe otherthrough ports 12.

'hen no-w the rods 13 are forced inwardly to partially shut otf ports12, shaft 5 will be rotated at a speed less than the speed of rotationot ly wheel 1, since the free circulation ot the hydraulic medium inpassages l1 is prevented and the pressure of the same will cause apartial rotation of gear 18 through the pinions 19.

Vhen the` ports 12 are completely sluit off the shaft 5 will be rotatedat the speed of ly wheel 1. since the circulation of hydraulic medium inpasages 11 will be completely sluit oli and the gear 18 will thereby beheld in fixed relation to pinions 19 so as to be rotated by therevolving of said pinions around the axis ot' the mechanism.

It will be apparent that various changes may be made in the constructionas thus described without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination With a fly wheel of a casing secured thereto, saidcasing having diametrically opposite chambers, pinions loosely journaledin said chambers, said chambers having ports connecting the same atopposite sides of said pinions, a driven shaft carrying a gear meshingwith said pinions, closure rods for said ports connected forlongitudinal adjustment to regulate the openings through said ports,said rods having valve means for allowing escapement ot a hydraulicmedium from the spaces at the ends of said rods;-

2. The combination with a tiy wheel of a. casing secured thereto, saidcasing having diametrically opposite chambers, pinions loosely journaledin` said chambers, said chambers having ports connect-ing the same atopposite sides of said pinions, a driven shaft carrying a, gear meshingwith said pinions, closure rods for said ports connected forlongitudinal adjustment to regulate the openings through said ports,said rods having by-passes through the same in alinement with said portswhen the latter are closed by said rods, said by-passes having valvestherein arranged to cause communication between the spaces at the endsof said rods and the portions ot said ports at one side ot said rods.while closing said spaces to the portions ot said ports at the otherside of said rods.

3. The combination with a ly wheel ot' a casing secure-d thereto, saidcasing have dialnetrically opposite chambers, pinions loosely journaledin said chambers, said chambers having ports connecting the same atopposite sides of saidy pinions, a .driven shaft carrying a gear meshingwith said pinions, closure rods for said ports connected forlongitudinal adjustment to regulate the openings through said ports.said rods having alves therein arranged to cause communication betweenthe spaces at the ends ot said rods and the portions of said ports atone side of said rods, while closing saidspaces to the portions ot' saidports at the other 'side of said rods.

'-1. The combination with a fiy wheel ot a casing secured thereto. saidcasing having diametrically opposite chambers. pinions loosely journaledin said chambers. said chambers having ports connecting the same atopposite sides ot' said pinions. a driven shaft carrying a gear meshingwith said pinions, closure rods Jfor said ports connected forlongitudinal adjustment to regulate the openings through said ports.said rods having fluid actuated check valves therein arranged to causecommunication between the spaces at the ends of said rods and theportions of said ports at one side ot said rods. While closing saidspaces to the portions of said ports at the other side of said rods.

5. The combination with a ily wheel of a casing secured thereto, saidcasing having diametrically opposite chambers, pinions loosely journaledin said chambers, said chambers having ports connecting the same atopposite sides of said pinions, a driven shaft carrying a gear meshingwith said pinions. closure rods for said ports connected forlongitudinal adjustment to regulate the openings through said ports,said rods having tluid actuated oppositely acting check valves thereinarranged to cause communication between the spaces at the ends ot saidrods and the portions ot' said ports at one Aside of said rods. whileclosing said spaces to the portions of said ports at the other side ofsaid rods.

`6. In a hydraulic transmission. a casing provided With a driving shaft.a gear axially arranged in the casing. means tor dividing the casinginto substantially separate chambers, a gear pinion arranged in a recessin one of the chambers and meshing constantly with said gear and beingjournaled in the casing. a port extending through the chamber formingmeans to provide for -flow of a liquid medium from one chamber to theother, a rod arranged in a pocket intersecting said port and having abore hole extending to the end of the rod to provide for fiow oi trappedliquid in said pocket, and valves in said rod controlling the flow.4

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EMIL S. GRAFENSTATT.

